1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the production of veneer and more particularly to a new and improved method for forming a flitch and sheets of veneer which sheets themselves are of a novel texture and pattern.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Veneer has been traditionally produced by preparing the trunks of various species of trees from which veneer is sought for a slicing operation so that thin sheets of veneer are produced that can later be made into articles of furniture, or decorative wall panelling. Preparation involves the shaping of the tree trunk to a desired configuration and size to form a flitch. The shaping is usually done by sawing longitudinally the trunk to give it a generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration.
After the flitch has been shaped, it is cooked in a vat of hot water for a period of time sufficient to condition it for the slicing operation. The cooking time varies, of course, according to the specie of wood from which the flitch is formed.
The cooking operation conditions the flitch for slicing so that it will not splinter or split during slicing. Veneer slicers come in many forms and traditionally work in a reciprocating the flitch vertically against the knife as the knife moves forward into the flitch.
The veneer sheets resulting from the slicing operation are, of course, soaked from the cooking process and are thereafter placed in dryers to remove the moisture and cure the wood.
The texture and pattern of the resulting veneer sheets can be varied to some extent by the way the flitch is positioned in the slicer. Varying the position will vary the pattern resulting in the veneer slice because of the grain of the flitch itself.
The furniture and the decorating industries continue to seek novel wood textures for case goods and wall preparations, and the present invention provides numerous novel veneer surfaces for both these industries.
The veneer for some woods such as, for example, maple, ash, cherry, birch, white oak, red oak, aspen, poplar, gum, pine and fir, are not aesthetically acceptable for some sliced veneer applications. By using novel process set forth herein, the non-descript grain patterns of these woods become beautiful and the veneer slices resulting therefrom become very useful and desirable.